Armchair Culture Part 1 - New York
Places To Escape To …
Anyone else craving a dose of culture? Rather cruelly my phone reminded me that this time last year I was lost amongst the beautiful Dior dresses in the V and A museum! I had planned to catch Mary Quant and visit the Bags Inside Out exhibition, but our lives have been put on hold and it’s not to be just now.
In an attempt to escape the news, I thought I’d find out where I could travel to from the comfort of an armchair. So here’s my roundup of the best virtual cultural experiences to for you to escape to. Oh and I make no apologies for the fact that there is a definite bias towards a spot of pretty fashion!
So let’s buckle up and settle down, and set off on a cultural fashion tour to New York, London, Paris, Milan ( in fashion week order, no less!) Across the pond we go, our first stop is stateside.
NEW YORK
Before we begin let’s create the atmosphere! It’s far too early for a Manhattan, besides our drinks cabinet does not stretch to bourbon and bitters! But I could manage to do an Audrey, don a Little Black Dress and oversized sunglasses, indulge in a spot of window shopping at Tiffany’s , whilst eating a pastry and drinking coffee with Moon River playing in the background! It wouldn’t take much to persuade me!
THE MUSEUM AT FIT
I’m going to start with everything I love and an absolute must see!! Our first stop is Ballerina - Fashion’s Modern Muse at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The exhibition explores the link between ballet and fashion, and the online visitor experience is well thought out.
There’s a brochure to read, just as there would be in real life ( I love a brochure, don’t you?) And there’s a wonderful video which begins with footage of Fonteyn and Nureyev. Heaven!
Friends and family please note, I’ve put the book on my wish list!
THE MET
A visit to New York wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Met. There’s a good article that explains how to plan your armchair visit. There are some treasures to be found at The Costume Institute .
This is a current exhibition, and the exhibition galleries are a treasure trove of 20th century French and American Couture, showcasing clothes with exquisite workmanship and giving a timeline of fashion over the last century. There’s dresses by Fortuny, Poiret, Vionnet, Dior, Chanel and more. I fell in love with this divine black evening gown from 1961 by Balenciaga and a silver blue dress by Christian Dior. And there’s luxurious a velvet cape by Gallenga, with the most beautiful collar tied with tassels- you know, you could always wear it with wellies to walk the dog!
An exhibition on the Anglo American couturier Charles James, who created the beautiful ballgowns seen in this photograph by Cecil Beaton. But did you know that he is also credited with the infinity scarf, the wrap dress and the puffa jacket?
I found the animations and X-rays of his approach garment construction fascinating.
THERE’S MORE!
By hopping over to the Costume Institute’s YouTube channeI I found videos of other exhibitions that I’d read about, but never had chance to see:
Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
And if you enjoyed “Secrets of the Museum” on TV recently you might also like this video about the restoration of an exquisite Charles Worth Ballgown with butterflies from 1898
Wherever you end up on your armchair travels enjoy! Very soon we’ll be in London, Paris and Milan.
Take care, enjoy your armchair travels and stay safe.
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